Trump and Harris battle for female voters in Arizona – US Election 2024

In the battleground state Arizona, polls give Donald Trump the slimmest of leads. The race is so tight that both candidates were in Phoenix, in a final push for votes.

Kamala Harris needs to win over moderate Republicans if she wants to seize the momentum – including suburban women who she’s been busy courting during this campaign.

In the affluent outskirts of cities like Phoenix in Arizona, it’s Republican women in particular who are huddling together, agonising over the big question, should they vote with their conscience and ditch Donald Trump and stay loyal to their party?

Being they are lifelong Republicans, you would think the decision would be easy.

Yet two out of the four women we spoke to are undecided, but cannot stomach voting for Trump again.

“Without a doubt, I will not vote for him, the circle next to his name will not get filled in. It’s whether or not I don’t vote at all, or if by election time, I decide I’m going to vote for Harris or not,” Kathy Petsas said.

While Amanda Stewart Sprowls mused: “There’s alway a chance for him to meet Jesus, but I do not know if he will have that come to Jesus moment.”

However she was not ready to put her backing behind Kamala Harris: “I’m not there with the leap of faith to vote for Harris, but I feel okay.

“If you can’t feel like you can’t vote for Trump, you shouldn’t. You just shouldn’t vote for him this year.”

All four were grappling with the question about where the Republican Party, a party they once said had values of decency, honesty and privacy, had gone.

No longer recognisable in their eyes since the MAGA takeover of Trump.

Kathy explained: “[Trump] doesn’t represent the Republican party. He’s not conservative. He’s not stable. I feel like, Kamala, you know, where I look and say she’s stable.”

Stability yes, but they’re worried Harris won’t deliver on the economy and immigration, two major issues for them all.

However that doesn’t detract from what they say their beloved Republican Party has become under Trump, scared to even turn up to local political meetings.

Lisa Hoberg said: “The level of vitriol and the level of emotion that these people that hold these seats with us, have towards us for not supporting Trump, for not supporting every single policy that they care about, it’s emotional and it’s physical.”

So Lisa was always voting Democrat this time as a protest against Trump… but then came the Trump/Harris head-on and that sealed the deal.

“I was really happy to see the debate, because that’s what I saw, a Kamala Harris that I never knew existed,” Lisa said.

Sam Campana saw that too but she hasn’t forgotten her roots: “I’m lifelong Republican and small government and out of my bedroom.”

She’s so anti-Trump, Sam even agreed to introduce the vice president on a recent trip to Arizona.

“I’m excited about Kamala Harris. I’m thrilled. You know this idea of joy has now been replaced by hard work and policy, but underlying all of that is this very positive, very forward looking message that I embrace.”

One message they all embrace this election is women’s choice, and in Arizona choice is even more critical since protecting abortion rights is also on the ballot next week.

“I trust women. I trust women who want to have, who are able and willing, to make these decisions on their own,” Kathy said.

“I don’t know anybody who’s pro abortion… so then, it’s a choice or no choice. Do I get a choice? Do my two daughters get a choice? Do my three granddaughters get a choice?” Sam added.

Of course the big choice, Trump or Harris, couldn’t be more stark. And what’s striking is the fear they all articulate about the future.

Sam said: “I’m not calm, I don’t sleep well, really I don’t. I can’t even imagine that former president Trump would be our president again, it’s end of days for me.”

“I’m petrified. It sounds a little extreme, but that we could be in a civil war of sorts,” Lisa added.

So Lisa poses a question of her own: “So as an opportunity to the two people not decided yet. If you do choose to not vote for Trump or Kamala, and Trump is elected, will you look back and regret?”

There was a long pause, as the two undecideds thought carefully about the question, before answering.

Amanda admitted: “I don’t like either option, though I do have to say I actually think she’s a decent human being. I really cannot say that about Donald Trump.”

While Kathy added: “It is the hardest presidential race I will be voting in, even though I find him so repulsive, and can’t vote for him. It’s will I go the other way?”

Will she, can she, vote for Kamala? If the answer to that question is yes, then Republican women here and across America could tip the balance in Harris’ favour and send the first female president to the White House.